Top 20 Countries With the Most Billionaires

Posted by Doug Murray on May 18, 2016, Updated on May 24, 2017

There are 2,043 billionaires in the world this year, but where do they live? The answer might surprise you. Using Forbes’ latest list of the world’s billionaires, we rounded up the 20 countries with the most billionaires in 2017. For perspective, we also listed each country’s wealth per adult for 2016, as determined by Credit Suisse.

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1. United States

The United States has the most billionaires, with 565 – more than in the whole of Europe. Microsoft’s Bill Gates is the richest American and also the richest person in the world, with a fortune of $86 billion. The average wealth per adult in the United States is $344,692.

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2. China

With 319 billionaires, China is in second place. China’s richest person is real-estate tycoon Wang Jianlin, who is worth $31.3 billion. China’s average wealth per adult is $22,864.

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3. Germany

Germany has 114 billionaires. The richest Germans are the heirs to the Aldi supermarket chain, Beate Heister and Karl Albrecht Jr., with a joint fortune of $27.2 billion. Germany’s average wealth per adult is $185,175.

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4. India

There are 101 billionaires in India. India’s richest person is Mukesh Ambani, who is worth $23.2 billion and has made his fortune through oil and gas. The average wealth per adult in India is $3,835.

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5. Russia

Russia has 96 billionaires, of which gas tycoon Leonid Mikhelson is the richest, with $18.4 billion to his name. Russia’s average wealth per adult is $10,344.

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6. Hong Kong

Tiny Hong Kong has a whopping 67 billionaires, with Li Ka-shing and his $31.2 billion fortune in the lead. Hong Kong’s average wealth per adult is $185,281.

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7. United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is home to 54 billionaires. The four Hinduja siblings of the multinational Hinduja Group are the richest in the country, with a joint net worth of $15.4 billion. The average wealth per adult in the United Kingdom is $288,808.

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8. Brazil

The richest of Brazil’s 43 billionaires, and also the richest person in South America, is beer king Jorge Paulo Lemann, who is worth $29.2 billion. Brazil’s average wealth per adult is $18,059.

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9. Italy

Italy has 42 billionaires. The richest of these is the widow of Nutella’s Michele Ferrero, Maria Franca Fissolo, with a fortune of $25.2 billion. In Italy, the average wealth per adult is $202,288.

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10. Canada

With a net worth of $27.2 billion, Thomson Reuters chairperson David Thomson and his family are the richest of Canada’s 39 billionaires. Canada’s average wealth per adult is $270,179.

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11. France

LMVH’s Bernard Arnault is the richest of France’s 38 billionaires, with a net worth of $41.5 billion. The average wealth per adult in France is $244,365.

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12. South Korea

South Korea is home to 38 billionaires. At the top is Samsung’s chairperson Lee Kun-Hee, who has a fortune of $15.1 billion. In South Korea, the average wealth per adult is $159,914.

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13. Switzerland

There are 36 Swiss billionaires. The richest person in Switzerland is heir to biotech company Serono, Ernesto Bertarelli, who is worth $8.6 billion. The average wealth per adult in Switzerland is $561,854, making it the country with the richest people overall.

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14. Japan

There are 33 billionaires in Japan, with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son leading the pack. He is worth $21.2 billion. Japan’s average wealth per adult is $230,946.

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15. Australia

Australia has 33 billionaires. The country’s richest person is Hancock Prospecting chair Gina Rinehart, who is worth $15 billion. In Australia, the average wealth per adult is $375,573.

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16. Sweden

There are 31 billionaires in Sweden. The country’s richest person is H&M’s Stefan Persson, who has a net worth of $19.6 billion. The average wealth per adult in Sweden is $227,295.

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17. Taiwan

Taiwan has 31 billionaires. The richest person in Taiwan is Terry Gou, who made his $7.5 billion fortune through manufacturing electronics. The average wealth per adult in Taiwan is $172,847.

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18. Turkey

With $3.7 billion to his name, food manufacturer Murat Ulker is the richest of Turkey’s 29 billionaires. The average wealth per adult in Turkey is $19,685.

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19. Spain

Spain has 25 billionaires. Zara’s Amancio Ortega is the richest person in Spain as well as in Europe, with $71.3 billion to his name. Spain’s average wealth per adult is $116,320.

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20. Singapore

The little city-state of Singapore is home to 21 billionaires. The richest Singaporeans are brothers Robert and Philip Ng, who made their joint fortune of $8.7 billion through real estate. In Singapore, the average wealth per adult is $276,885.